Some conventional machines have a hydraulic power source for operating hydraulic actuators. For example, such a machine might typically include an internal combustion engine for driving one or more hydraulic pumps, which, in turn, supply power to one or more hydraulic actuators for performing work. One example of such a machine is a hydraulic excavator. A hydraulic excavator may typically include one or more hydraulic pumps, which provide hydraulic power in the form of pressurized fluid flow to one or more hydraulic motors and hydraulic cylinders for operation of a boom, stick, and digging implement. In such a machine, the hydraulic motors may be used to rotate a cab relative to a chassis on which the cab is mounted and drive grounding engaging wheels or tracks for movement of the machine. Hydraulic power provided to the hydraulic actuators may be used to raise and lower the boom and manipulate the stick and the digging implement in order to perform digging and/or loading operations.
To increase the efficiency and/or reduce undesirable emissions resulting from operation of the internal combustion engine, efforts have been made to recapture some of the energy typically lost during operation of such a machine. For example, energy may be recaptured in the form of stored electric and hydraulic energy for use by electric and hydraulic devices. Thus, it may be desirable to perform some working functions in a machine with both stored hydraulic energy and stored electric energy by use of both electric and hydraulic devices. However, in such a machine it may be difficult to control the supply of electric and hydraulic power to the electric and hydraulic devices in a manner that results in desirable performance and/or efficiency. Therefore, it may be desirable to provide a system and method for controlling power in a machine having both electric and hydraulic devices in a manner that results in the machine having the desired performance and/or efficiency.
A hybrid construction machine is disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 7,669,413 B2 to Komiyama et al. (“the '413 patent”). In particular, the '413 patent discloses a hybrid excavator including a hydraulic pump, a generator motor connected in parallel to an output shaft of an engine, and a rotation motor driven by a battery. The generator motor assists the engine by performing a motor function. Power consumption of each of the hydraulic pump and the rotation motor is detected, and the output of the hydraulic pump and the rotation motor is controlled such that the sum of the detected power consumption does not exceed a maximum supply power set as the sum of power that can be supplied to the hydraulic pump and the rotation motor.
Although the machine disclosed in the '413 patent includes both electric and hydraulic devices, the machine disclosed in the '413 patent may still fail to control the electric and hydraulic devices in the machine in a manner providing desirable machine performance and efficiency. Therefore, it may be desirable to provide a system and method for controlling power in a machine having both electric and hydraulic devices in a manner that results in the machine having the desired performance and efficiency.